Free Web NovelChapter 196: Chapter 195 On-site Secondary Survey_1
Mr. Zhao nodded.
"We have confirmed that the victim is Tan Ran. This is part of the examination report, but some tests haven’t been completed yet."
Zhou Ning took the report and read it carefully.
The bloodstains found at the scene all belonged to Tan Ran – blood footprints, blood fingerprints, spatter drops, and pools of blood – these results had all come out. As for other DNA at the primary scene, only Xing Xiaoli’s had been collected. It seemed that the murderer wanted the police to suspect Xing Xiaoli.
However, after looking through the report, Zhou Ning was surprised that the testing reports for the hand saw, kitchen knife, and electrical wire hadn’t come out.
"Did Mrs. Cui say why the tests haven’t been completed?"
"She did. Although the victim’s blood was found on these pieces of evidence, the components of 84 disinfectant were detected on each item, even inside the crevices. Mrs. Cui said that it’s possible these items were sprayed with 84 disinfectant before use.
She wants to try and see if DNA fragments can be extracted because while most people know from crime shows that 84 can destroy DNA, Mrs. Cui said what’s actually destroyed is just the oxidative damage caused by free radicals, which, although irreversible, still allows for the extraction of DNA fragments."
Zhou Ning nodded.
"Talking about the effect without mentioning the dosage is just nonsense. If it’s just a spray, there would be residues in the crevices. Even if the items were soaked in disinfectant, if there’s a layer of grease blocking the liquid, residues can still be found inside.
Of course, as Mrs. Cui mentioned, even if damaged, it’s still possible to obtain some DNA fragments. However, this requires a lot of collection and extraction work, which is very laborious. It also requires a bit of luck to see if Xu Da is that fortunate."
"Talking about me, huh?"
With that voice, Xu Dayuan pushed the door open, his eyes bloodshot but his spirits seemed good, suggesting he had made some discoveries.
Mr. Zhao grinned.
"Us talk about you behind your back? Not a chance. Mrs. Cui said she wants to see our luck, to make multiple extractions to see if we can find something else. After all, those items were sprayed with disinfectant before use. Isn’t that done just to remove residual matter?"
Xu Dayuan nodded, evidently moved by their seriousness.
"I’ll give Mr. Cui a call later to thank her properly."
"You’re going to thank her just with words? You don’t show any real gratitude."
Seeing Xu Dayuan glaring, Zhou Ning hurriedly said:
"Has the surveillance been delivered?"
Xu Dayuan huffed at Mr. Zhao twice before finally turning to Zhou Ning.
"Got the footage last night and sent it straight to Mr. Qu. The surveillance is very blurry, so a few people from the technical department and Mr. Qu worked on it all night. Let’s go take a look."
The three of them went upstairs together.
In the lab, the air was thick and murky, with Xia Momo wearing a mask and still coughing constantly. Mr. Zhao rushed in to open a window and kicked the two technicians and Mr. Zeng a bit.
"Do you guys have no consideration? Mr. Xia is here, and you few chain-smokers can’t take a break? If you want to smoke, go outside. You’re turning this room into an alchemist’s workshop. Don’t come to the lab anymore."
After this outburst, neither Zhou Ning nor Xu Dayuan stopped him. Zhou Ning was genuinely dissatisfied, as the primary mission of the laboratory was to test the application of software, followed by assisting Zhou Ning and others in case investigation. None of the people here were official staff, and while helping was gracious, they couldn’t act like bosses.
Xu Dayuan coughed and looked at Mr. Zeng, who was awkwardly embarrassed and quickly jumped over.
"Boss, you’ve arrived. We’ve already restored the surveillance from the 6th, 7th, and 8th of September, and we’re searching through it frame by frame for people."
Mr. Zhao smiled and moved closer, bumping Mr. Zeng on the shoulder.
"Don’t bluff your boss. Searching frame by frame? Mr. Qu has experience, you know. The software can filter people from surveillance videos, then analyze all personnel, requiring manual comparison of time and individuals in the end."
Mr. Zeng scratched his head as Xu Dayuan pushed him aside.
"There was a call logged on Tan Ran’s phone, the last one on September 7th at 12:34 PM, introducing a mobile plan. We’ve already looked into it and found the call recording, confirming it was answered by the person herself.
So, our investigation focus is on the 7th and 8th. Did we find anyone leaving with a suitcase? Also, what time did she leave on September 6th?"
At this question, Mr. Zeng stuttered a bit, then desperately looked toward Mr. Qu for help.
"We just found that and have saved the screenshots. Tan Ran left on the afternoon of September 6th, carrying a small suitcase."
As he said this, Mr. Qu had already found a clip of video and clicked play.
On screen, marked with a timestamp of 15:41, Tan Ran is seen exiting through the doorway with a red suitcase, wearing a red baseball cap, walking while talking on the phone.
Then on another monitor, Mr. Qu opened more than a dozen images, all snapshots from surveillance footage, nearly each showing a person with a suitcase.
"These are all the people who left with a suitcase between September 7th and 8th."
They all crowded around the screen, and after Xu Dayuan had looked it over, his brows furrowed.
"Isn’t there a matching gray suitcase?"
Zhou Ning stared at the screen; the luggage these people were carrying was quite large, yet it seemed nearly impossible to fit a 29-inch suitcase inside them.
"Is Xing Xiaoli in there?"
Without Mr. Qu’s identification, Xu Dayuan had already pointed at someone and said:
"That is Xing Xiaoli. He was pulling two suitcases."
Zhou Ning leaned in for a closer look. Although the footage was not very clear, he could still sense Xing Xiaoli’s slight build. Indeed, given his height, it would be physically challenging for him to be a male pair skater. Similarly, his stature would make the dismemberment and transport of a body quite difficult.
"Can only this camera see the fourth building of the Enbo Residential Area?"
"Only this one can see it. There’s a wall on the farthest east side, which leads directly out of the residential area. Besides, all the unit doors are on the north side. You can’t possibly throw suitcases out of the window, right? There’s a person stuffed inside."
After saying this, Xu Dayuan paused, then took out his phone, looked up satellite images of the street, and noticed that on the very eastern side of building four, right next to a narrow path adjacent to a hotel, the hotel was quite tall, creating a tight passage. Moreover, this elongated path had exits on both sides.
"It seems that carrying it out through the window is a very good method. We just don’t know if there are any cameras at the back of the hotel."
Having finished speaking, he turned to look at Mr. Zeng, who quickly nodded.
"I’ll go now."
Xu Dayuan thought for a moment and waved his hand.
"Let’s go together. Zhou Xiaozhou, you take people for a second examination of the first crime scene. We’ll check the surrounding area to see if there’s any surveillance camera that might capture this location. And we’ll investigate the vehicles entering and exiting both ends of the road. After all, the best way to transport a body is by vehicle transfer."
Half an hour later.
Zhou Ning and his team had arrived at building four of the Enbo Residential Area; they had just driven around the small road outside, and indeed, the east side wall stuck closely to the edge of building four. The south side was not a wall but a section of iron fencing. Moreover, the distance from the windows to this fence was about five to six meters.
A few people went upstairs; in front of room 202, a police officer was standing guard. Seeing Zhou Ning and his team approaching, he promptly nodded in greeting.
"Doctor Zhou, you’ve arrived!"
Zhou Ning smiled and nodded.
"Wang Ying didn’t come back to stay last night, did she?" fгeewebnovёl.com
"The boss said that, without exception, everyone must stay in temporary rooms inside the stadium and is not allowed to leave."
This answer was somewhat satisfying; after all, it was impossible to throw suitcases out of the windows in Xing Xiaoli’s room. It could only be done from the east side bathroom window, or potentially from 301, 401, 501, except for 101, which had no east window. But dropping it from these floors would more likely attract attention.
While thinking, they didn’t stop moving; they had already entered room 201.
"Mr. Zhao, check the bathroom; Yang Xuetong, go check the two bedrooms. Look for blood traces and fingerprints. Ignore the footprints on the ground for now, mainly check for any traces of luggage being dragged."
Yang Xuetong took his equipment to the main bedroom, while Mr. Zhao opened the bathroom door. The layout here was the exact opposite of room 202, with a small window whose full width when open was 65 centimeters.
Mr. Zhao came closer, measured, and then pressed the mosquito screen downwards, which rolled up with a snap.
As the screen rolled up, dust flew, and Mr. Zhao poked his head out of the window. Two dirty wipe marks on the outside of the window were very noticeable. It was too dark to see what was on them. Zhou Ning handed him a wet cotton swab, Mr. Zhao wiped it, and then tossed it into a test tube. The liquid instantly turned pink.
"Blood traces!"
"Yes, blood traces. Take a sample."
To Mr. Zhao, this discovery was like a shot of adrenaline, and he excitedly took the sample. Then, he leaned out the window for a closer look and spotted a fingerprint on the outside of the window. However, this wasn’t from the pad of the finger. Mr. Zhao collected it and showed it to Zhou Ning.
"This one will be hard to match; see, it’s an impression left by the tip of a finger."
Indeed, between two lined glove prints, there was a round tip mark, which obviously was left during the process of moving the suitcase out when the perpetrator’s glove tore and he inadvertently left this mark.
"We can still compare it, but if there are no distinctive features, the likelihood of someone else having a similar pattern in that position is high. It can’t be the main evidence."
Mr. Zhao sighed. He always maintained a good attitude, and Zhou Ning’s words didn’t faze him.
"Regardless, finding a clue is good progress."
Zhou Ning nodded; Yang Xuetong walked over.
"Team leader, there are many fingerprints in these two rooms. I have finished collecting them. Except for a fluorescent reaction on the doorknob at the entrance, no blood traces were found elsewhere."
Zhou Ning nodded again.
"The killer knew everyone’s schedule well, had free access to this unit, even having keys to 201 and 202, was right-handed, had certain anti-surveillance capabilities, was strong, and a mature male."
Mr. Zhao spoke from the side:
"When we called Wang Ligang to find out what was going on, he answered the door with his right hand. That’s a subconscious action, which can’t be changed deliberately. According to your description, is he also a suspect?"
